Yesteryears
by Lov3good
Summary: There were ways to gain your memory back again. And Sirius found out the hard way...  Sirius/OFC
1. Please, Remember Me

_Disclaimer: Once upon a time, someone wrote a brilliant story, created a world for others to read. And no, that person wasn't me! I'm merely tapping into J.K Rowling's brilliant world, hoping I'd ever come near here literary skills. [Probably in my dreams, perhaps] But what I meant to say was, I do not own, nor will I ever, Harry Potter and all creative rights belong to J. K Rowling. I only own the characters you do not recognize, so I claim them, and the plot :) With that said, carry on!_

_A/N: So I have a few people I'd like to thank! First of all Court1410 and DanaIsis. Both of them gave me the heads up for this story and were able to bear my rambling, so kudos to you two lovely gals :D_

_And **Molivline, **I know that's it been a while since I've updated Encounters, but I have a good excuse, it's called a writersblock. And I know you've been very supportive and enthusiastic about that story, so I feel horrible to tell you that I've put it on Hiatus until further notice. But in the mean time I hope you can grow to like this story, perhaps just as much as you liked Encounters :)_

_With that said hope you people will like this story. For some reason I'm immediately attached to it, don't ask me why. I just am. So instead of using words for emotions I won't be able to explain anyways, I present you **Yesteryears**. Hopefully you will like it :)_

**Please, Remember Me**

Her mind was whirling with strain, wired shut with anxious voices moving outside her comfort zone. She wasn't sure how many there were. Two, three? Perhaps even four. All she knew was that her body was aching. Her limbs were burning with a fire that had taken hold over every fibre in her being and she faintly registered cries of pain. The throbbing in her head pulsed through her body and her heart was beating simultaneously with every beat. Hitting her motionless, pushing through her own walls, breaking them down with a force she had never seen. The voices grew in volume, her ears straining to hear what was said. But she was only able to pick up a few things.

"...Severe head trauma..."

Her whole body tensed as those words registered and she let out a shaky breath. The headache assaulting her mind was increasing, the throbbing now constant. Her eyes fluttered on their own accord, her forehead creasing with lines.

"Darcie? Oh Merlin, she's waking up. Darcie, love? Can you hear me? Get a nurse. Quick!" His voice penetrated her eardrums and she let out a protesting noise, for it was too harsh and near her ears to be comforting. The anxiety and obvious worry in his voice were hard to ignore. The prominent message calling out to her as she automatically yearned for it herself.

"Miss Lyndon?" Another voice. "Please, Mr Black, you have to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" There was a tinge of recognition, a sense of déjà vu. As if this was familiar. But the only familiarity she was remotely used to were the succumbing arms of blackness that kept begging her to come back.

"Darcie, love? I know you can hear me . Wake up, _please_." Darcie? _Darcie?_ Her name...

Her eyes snapped open and the pain assaulted her with hot, stabbing flashes of white. She moved her head and felt she was lying on something soft. Her throat itched for a release and she let out a moan. Her fingers twitched and something solid grabbed hold of her hand. The warmth it provided, the strength in its hold made her forget her surroundings for a brief moment. All her energy was focused on the hand in hers. The feeling of rough calloused fingers wrapped around hers made her forget what was going on again. Because of this her vision got the time to catch up.

Swirling colours shaped into distinctive features, recognizable to their own account, and slowly she became able to distinguish the blinding colours in her room from each other. One by one they shaped into the white ceiling, one that stopped moving, as the other fell into their own places. She let out a small sigh when she realized someone was talking to her.

"You're alright, love. I'm here." The voice soothed the stunning panic that was starting. It pushed it down and she let out an agreeing noise. She was alright. He was here.

She closed her eyes again, her whole body relaxing into the mattress. His voice still echoing murmurs in her head. Her hand still constricted in his and despite the dominating blackness she was able to let go and settle down in her own bubble. The one she chose for herself.

_**xxxxxx**_

The room was silent. The only indication of life were her soft breathings that reached her own ears. The soft mandarin coloured light lit up her eyes behind her eyelids and Darcie let out a protesting moan before gently settling back into her pillow. Her eyes fluttered open and she was confronted with the soft light that shone from outside her window. Rays of sun that couldn't be held back by the blank curtains.

Darcie blinked a few times. Her ears strained for any indication of a presence but all she heard was the soft ticking of a clock nearby. Next to her bed there were flowers. Calla Lilies to be precise. Their colour only added more emphasis on the fact that her whole room was so incredibly bright. Her limbs felt heavy and she didn't bother to strain them more than necessary so she settled for shifting her eyes to investigate this peculiar room.

Not so long ago it was booming with voices and now it was so incredibly empty that it felt big. And she was only so little to occupy such a space.

On her left there was something heavy, pinning down her arm. Darcie was surprised that she had only noticed it now, whereas the warmth it provided should've been noticed immediately. Then again, everything felt so out of tune that she could only divide her attention so little. She shifted her head and black hair clouded her vision. A musky scent rising from it, which was somewhat familiar, albeit far, far away.

It was obviously a head, a male head to be specific but she couldn't recognize who it was. And from this position she had no view of her face, so identifying him was practically impossible. Her throat constricted with emotion. _Who_ was this stranger? Why was he sleeping on her bed. And why was he holding on to her hand so tightly like that person before. The one who had murmured soothing words.

A wave of understanding moved her out of her stupor and she realized that this man was the one who held her hand before. The one that had lulled her to a sleep. The one that told her she was alright, that she was safe. Her panic subsided and made space for her to raise awareness to her body's needs.

She was exhausted, despite her slumber, whether it was long or short. Not to mention incredibly sore. There was this distant throbbing at the back of her head and she raised her free hand to feel the damage. She patted her face and felt nothing out of sorts, she ran her hand through her hair and hissed when it contacted a sore spot. She let out a curse and her eyes filled up with tears, the reason unknown.

Suddenly her hand stirred, but not by her accord and Darcie stiffened as the owner of the attached hand woke up. He raised his face and the first thing she noticed were his eyes. They were grey, the colour so unusual, yet the obvious black circles indicated his exhaustion. His eyes, bloodshot, came to rest on her and she found herself moving away from him.

He was, without a doubt, gorgeous. His features strong and abstract, his nose long and aristocratic, putting the emphasis on his cheekbones that stood high. His hair black and long, almost reaching his shoulders. Yet Darcie's attention was still on his eyes. They looked unaware, for a lack of better term. He still seemed to be unaware of the fact she was awake, not to mention she had no clue who he actually was.

Suddenly his eyes focused in on her and he let out a confused gasp. "Darcie?" His voice, groggy with sleep was deep and unmistakably the same as before. She frowned and he raised their entwined hands, pressing a brief kiss to the back of her hand. "How are you feeling?"

How _did_ she feel? "I-I..." She trailed off. Her voice was hoarse and her throat ached, making obvious that she hadn't used her voice in a long time. He let go of her hand and grabbed the glass from the nightstand filling it with water.

"Here you go." He muttered and Darcie flexed her hands, checking whether she had the strength to use it. "I got it." He told her as he held the glass near her chin. She held her fingertips against his hands, trying to let him know that she didn't necessarily need his help as she tried to gulp down the water. "Gentle sips." He ordered her and she found herself listening to him. Fascinated by the timbre of his voice.

When he set away the glass and went back to stare at her again she shifted awkwardly. "T-thanks." She stuttered.

"Anytime, love." She nodded awkwardly.

Now _that_ was bothering her. Why was he calling her love? She hadn't noticed before but when she thought about it, since it wasn't the first time he had called her that, it seemed strange. She had no obvious relation with this guy, yet he was by her side. Not someone she knew.

Hang on.

"W-who are you?" Darcie questioned. The threat of panic hanging just around the corner. "W-where am I?" She put her hands on the mattress and hoisted herself in a upright position.

She turned back to the stranger. The pain in his eyes surprising her. "You don't remember who I am?" He asked. She wondered what that meant.

"I-I..." Darcie let out a shaky breath. "I don't know. Should I?" She put one of her hands on her forehead, trying to rub away the headache that seemed to be hitting her full-fledged. "I-I..."

"I'm Sirius." He said calmly, though his eyes and the stiffening of his torso betraying his true feelings. "You're in St. Mungo's. You had an accident. Do you remember?" She blinked at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Accident? What accident?" She dropped her eyes to floor and the tears ran down her cheeks. "What happened?"

"Darcie, calm down." Sirius put his hands on her shoulders as he stood up. He bent over her. "You're not going to get better by panicking. Calm down, I'll tell you what happened." He told her. "But you need to take a deep breath, can you do that?"

Darcie nodded frantically and the tension left his body as she exhaled.

"Okay." He sat down back in his chair. "Now tell me, what's the last thing you remember?" She blinked at him as she wracked her brain for answers.

The last thing she remembered. What was the last thing she remembered?

She came up blank.

"I don't know." Darcie whispered blandly. She closed her eyes and more tears fell. What was going on? Why couldn't she remember? "Why don't I know?" she asked, her throat closed up noticeably and she let out a sob. She put her hand in front of her mouth. "Oh God! I don't remember. What's going on? Why can't I remember?" The panic was everywhere now. Prominent as it took over every sense of control.

Her breathing was laboured and she found herself being pushed back to the bed. Her head hitting the pillow swiftly as Sirius hovered above her. Words were spoken as they lay on his lips but she couldn't decipher the meaning as they died before they reached her eardrums. Every limb in her body was protesting the weight as she was pinned down to the bed. Her mind swirled with panic.

She didn't remember.

And she didn't knew why.

Sobs tore at her throat, the tears trailing down the corner of her eyes, dampening her pillow. She struggled yet hands kept her down. The additional pairs didn't register in her mind. All she knew, all she _saw _were Sirius's eyes as he was physically torn away from her.

"You need to get out, Sirius!"

Arms wide open beckoned her back into the darkness and she fell, face forward, into it. Barely knowing what it exactly was.

_**xxxxxx **_

"Sirius, you need to get a grip, mate!" James Potter yelled as he grabbed hold of Sirius's shoulders, pushing him back forcefully, keeping him away from the door that lead into the hospital room Darcie resided in.

"Get out of my way, James." Sirius gritted out. His hands were clenched into fists. His eyes showing nothing but anger. "I need to get back there. She _needs_ me."

"No she doesn't!" James shouted back and the anger Sirius felt escalated into incapable rage. "She doesn't _recognize_ you. You saw how she reacted, mate. She's fucking terrified. You can't go back to her."

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. He knew James right. The logic in it was obvious, but Merlin it hurt to even think that his fiancée didn't knew who he was. He watched her fall apart and he had to fix it.

He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat, pushed it down. He couldn't collapse now. They had finally reached a point that could lead to progress. Then again, he had to fuck it up by scaring her. He clenched his fist and pulled away from his friend, sitting down on one of the chairs that was unoccupied. He rested his elbows on the chair as he glanced at the small ray of light that escaped through the cracks. Behind that door was Darcie. And he was here.

Something was wrong with that picture. It wasn't supposed to be like this, yet it was.

He hadn't left her side ever since he had found her. Pulled her from beneath the rubble she was buried in. He remembered her pale face, the contrast between her dark hair and her skin. And the crimson stains on the floor. It seeped through her clothes, pouring down like a flood.

She hadn't woken up since then. She was forever more limp and barely responsive.

"_She has suffered excessive brain trauma and we were able to reduce the risk of further trauma, but we cannot assess the situation until she wakes up." Healer Thompson explained calmly. Sirius found himself debating whether he should've punched him or strangle him as he just stood there, looking at Sirius with an expression that could've been defined as indifference._

_Instead Sirius sighed and turned his eyes back to the door. He hadn't left the hospital yet. And he wasn't going to either. He turned back his eyes to the healer, feeling somewhat euphoric that Healer Thompson was shifting nervously on his feet, creating a distance between the two of them. _

"_Is she going to wake up?" Sirius asked. That question pulled him down to the ground again. Slamming him in fact and he was trying to nurse the bruises it gave him._

_Thompson nodded his head. His pale blond hair bobbing with him. "I'm confident that she will wake up. Unfortunately I'm not sure what to expect when she wakes up."_

"_What the bloody hell does that mean?" Sirius snapped. "You're a healer for Merlin's sake. You should know these things." A clear blush was visible on Thompsons face._

"_W-we're doing the best we can. It's just that Miss Lyndon has suffered an awful ordeal. We're not going to treat her injuries based off assumptions." Sirius scowled and turned his head away. "Although I am pretty sure she'll have some trouble remembering things."_

_Sirius's head snapped back to the healer. His grey eyes narrowing. Thompson gulped. He looked so much like his mother this way. "What do you mean?"_

"_It means that she might have amnesia." Thompson now visibly pale, pulled away._

"_Are you telling me that she might not even recognize her own fiancée?" A hand on Sirius' shoulder kept him from pushing further. He knew immediately who that was. After all, when was it that James hadn't stayed with him?_

"_T-that is a possibility." Thompson said cautiously. Now fully aware of the calamity the person in front of him might be. _

_Sirius breathed out a train of profanities, each worse than the other. _

"_So what are you going to do?" Sirius demanded. _

"_There isn't much we can do but wait." Was Thompson's reply. _

So Sirius had done the only thing he could at that moment.

With a heavy heart he had pulled off the engagement ring from her finger and its heavy weight was burning a hole in his pocket. He didn't want to keep it there, in fact, he wanted to bring it back to its rightful owner. He couldn't look at her hands either, without feeling the absence of that certain ring that defined their relationship.

"Go home, Padfoot?" James said evenly. He sat down next to him. Sirius kept his eyes on the floor, his mind still solely focused on the ring. "Get some sleep, take a shower. Then come back."

"Someone needs to stay with Darcie." Sirius muttered lowly. His voice cracking ever so lightly.

"I'll stay. Lily will be here soon." James told Sirius. "Go home, mate. You look like hell."

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "No." Disagreeing. "I'm not leaving her."

James sighed. "Mate, you're not going to help her by neglecting yourself." James pointed out. His hazel eyes were smacking some sense in Sirius and he couldn't deny that it was actually working. "Go on. We'll be here."

Sirius hesitated. His reluctance was increasing. He couldn't leave her now. Not now he had caused too much damage. He stood up, his knees feeling weak, yet he paced in front of the room. The faint cries behind that door still penetrating his eardrums.

"Sirius." James's voice was behind him and he found himself nodding his head.

"Fine." His voice was detached. "I'll go."

_**xxxxxx **_

The cacophony of voices and moving steps had now left the room, leaving it as empty as it was before. Never before had numbness felt this good. And Darcie found herself clinging to it. It was strange how she couldn't remember anything. They had told her what happened.

Retrograde amnesia.

Amnesia.

She had lived her whole life and some accident had snatched it all away. Leaving her with blank pages, one that used to be filled with certain memories. And now she had nothing left.

She felt empty. It was the only word she could use without having the urge to explain _why_ she felt like that. And honestly, there were no words that could possibly explain what she felt. And rightfully so, for she wasn't fully aware of the extent of her emotions. She still felt detached. As if this wasn't happening to her. Perhaps this was a dream. A very bad, bad dream. She'd wake up again and everything would be back to normal.

What that normal might be.

That frustrated her, she didn't know what normal was for her. If she had a clue perhaps she could've lived towards that. Set her priorities. At least, she'd know what to do. But now she didn't even know herself, let alone the people that loved _her_.

Yes, she knew now.

They had told her.

That man, the one she thought of as a stranger was her fiancé. Sirius Black. Apparently he was madly in love with her and wanted to marry her. But when she looked at her left hand she couldn't detect a ring. Perhaps he had changed his mind. Maybe that's why he was nowhere to be found.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked her and Darcie turned to the redhead. She gave her a soft smile.

"I'm fine." Darcie told her. Albeit that wasn't the truth, she knew she had to lie. She glanced back to Lily. Yes, she knew that it was Lily Potter. James' wife and supposedly one of her best friends. But nothing indicated to that story. No feeling, no memory. Absolutely nothing.

She only had her word to go for. So Darcie used that as the thing to cling to.

She turned her eyes back to the window. It was raining now. Which seemed strange since she had seen the sun before. She had felt its light on her face. But apparently all of it was far away now. She had slept throughout the day. Or rather said, She was sedated so she'd sleep throughout the day. Yet she didn't remember being sedated. She only felt the pull. But perhaps that was what it felt like.

She was sitting against many propped up pillows, as they supported her back. Her eyes had enough of the rest that was forced upon her. Right now, Darcie wanted nothing more but take a walk. Use her legs for once. Get out of the bed. She turned her head to the redhead who was sitting on the chair, the one that Sirius had slept in, and she was browsing through a book. Lily had tried to converse with her, but she hadn't known what to say. And for some reason, remaining silent seemed the only thing she could do. What felt natural.

"Are you hungry?" Lily's voice shook her out of her reveries. Darcie blinked once.

"U-uhm." She stuttered. "No, I'm fine." Lily pursed her lips. Her emerald eyes shining disapproval as she listened to Darcie's answer.

"I'll ask for something anyway." She got on her feet and her footsteps echoed in Darcie's head.

So that was Lily.

Darcie saw this as an opportunity to stretch her legs. She carefully pushed aside the heavy blankets that were piled on top of her. She immediately felt cold without its weight and the warmth it provided, albeit lighter than before. She let out a tired groan and gently shifted so she could put her bare feet on the cold floor. Her head spun in this position, she wasn't used to the vertical situation. Her hands, still on the edge of the bed held on tightly as her body leant backwards. She was desperately trying to get a grip on her body, but it felt as if it weren't hers. As if she was in someone else's body.

She took a tentative step forwards and once she found out she was able to stay on her feet, albeit with support from the wall, she continued. She snuck out of the room smoothly, not remotely dragging attention to her and she continued her little journey down the corridor.

Just like her room, it was incredibly white.

Darcie leant against the wall, her feet shuffling forward in a snail pace. There was a pressure at the back of her head. One that was demanding attention and Darcie winced as she kept moving through the corridor. She rounded the corner and was met with another corridor. It seemed as if this place was built like a maze. Darcie lowered herself onto one of the chairs, the weight lifted from her feet and she relaxed into her sitting position.

For someone who didn't remember anything she thought she was doing rather well. Or so she thought.

_**xxxxxx**_

"What do you mean you don't know where she is?" Sirius barked. He eyed his best mate's wife with blazing eyes. His head was filled up with the worst case scenarios. Every one worse than the other. He let out a tired groan. "You were supposed to be watching her."

"I was." Lily said with levelled glare. "I told you that it wasn't my fault. I left her room for a few minutes to tell the nurse she was hungry. When I got back, she was gone."

"Bloody brilliant." Sirius bit out. "We need to find her."

"I know Sirius."

"NO!" Sirius almost shouted. "You don't know, Lily!" He tried to focus on his breathings but the chaos in his head was becoming his main priority. "She has amnesia, she doesn't know anyone. Someone could take advantage of that."

"Sirius!" Lily crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You do realize this is a hospital! No one is going to attack her here!"

"You don't know that!" Sirius shouted back.

This wasn't meant to happen. He wasn't meant to come back and be confronted with something like this. He had trusted Lily with Darcie, and now she's telling him that Darcie's missing.

"Calm down Sirius!" Lily ordered. "The nurses are looking for her."

"Yeah, and so are we, Lily." Sirius snapped. "You're going to help me fix this." He levelled his eyes with hers. And soon Lily dropped her eyes and let out a deep breath.

"Fine." She told him. "I'll help you look for her."

_**xxxxxx **_

The pounding headache was hard to ignore now. It pulsed through her body and Darcie held her hands to the wall as she slid down till her overheated skin touched the cold tiles. She wasn't sure where she was now. She couldn't have wandered off too far though, someone would find her. Surely they must've known that she was missing. Darcie gasped and put her face into her hands. Tears were leaking and they splattered on her numb skin or on the white floor. It barely left a mark.

She let out a sob as another wave of pain shot through her body and her back arched with every stab. Her throat constricted with the panic, her heartbeat already quickening as she realized that there was no way out of this. She could barely stand without falling over, let alone walk. Darcie silently chided herself for making such a stupid move.

Despite the fact she honestly thought she'd be okay.

Another sob tore her throat and her eyes felt swollen with the amount of tears that were falling. She felt weak, yet her head felt too heavy to remain on her shoulders. She couldn't ignore the flashes of colours that melted into something unrecognizable. She barely knew _what_ it was that she was seeing. Just that it was everywhere she turned, it followed her. She put her hands on the floor and grabbed hold of the wall with her hands, before pushing herself into a standing position again. The second she got on her feet her head spun. She stumbled and leant against the wall heavily.

There were voices now, a cacophony of movements and fluttering devices. She scrunched her eyes shut. The pain and the noise was too much to bear. She couldn't handle it. She could feel the tremors in her limbs. The shaking of her body, despite its obvious heat she felt cold.

Her skin, slick with sweat, felt disgusting and she bent over, trying to stay on her feet. She knew she had to get away now.

"Darcie?" A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her upright. She stared into the eyes of Sirius before her vision blurred with tears again. "What's going on?" He demanded frantically. His grey eyes skimming her body. She gasped for breath. "Darcie? Tell me!"

"M-my h-head." She managed. She could see the confusion in his eyes but that soon blurred into something else as Darcie felt her legs give away. She slumped against Sirius, his hands grabbing hold of her weight immediately.

"Darcie? No, stay with me, love. Come on!" He tapped her cheek as he gently lowered her to the ground. "Don't do this." He pleaded.

Darcie blinked languidly, even that felt like a massive task. The darkness was looming at the back of her head and it was tempting her. She was giving in. For she rather be stuck there, surrounded by nothing but blackness than ever feel the harsh pain again. Her eyes fluttered close as she once again fell headfirst into a dark pit.

_A/N: So I'd love to hear you guys thoughts :) So please review :D_


	2. What He Knew Was Best

_Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. I merely invented this plot and the OC's you don't recognise. The rest belongs to the creative imagination of J.K Rowling. And we can only pine for such brilliance!_

_A/N: I'm so estatic with the response :D I'm glad people are liking this so far :) I'm really glad :D So thank you very much for your reviews and support :) It always astoud me how incredible you guys are! Truly, you don't get enough credit! So with that said :) Here is the next chapter! Hopefully you guys will like it :)_

_P.S Changed the summary ;)_

**What He Knew Was Best**

He had seen it coming. Call it a hunch, instinct. Whatever it was, he had seen it coming. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. The second Sirius woke up from his brief slumber at home, he knew something was wrong. His instinct had never been off in the past, and it most certainly wouldn't let him down in the future. So he did what he had to do. He got up, changed his clothes and apparated immediately to St. Mungo's. He hadn't felt the urge to stay much longer in his apartment anyways. Everything reminded him off Darcie. He couldn't sleep in their bed, he was so attuned to her presence that her absence now became more prominent every single minute. The kitchen reminded him off her clumsy attempts at cooking. Muggle or witch, she couldn't do it in any way. Even the bathroom threatened to overwhelm his senses. Her scent hung in the humid air, it clung to the fabric of her pillow, and it drifted by every now and then when he'd crossed the living room.

There was nothing that couldn't remind him of her.

He knew he was better off at the hospital than home. So he left, and the second his feet touched the cold, white floor of St. Mungo's register, he knew that whatever was waiting for him wasn't good. And he was right.

Lily was talking to one of the nurses, her movements frantic as her emerald eyes blazed with a certain passion his best mate was all too familiar with. Only this time, it didn't came across as something positive.

"Lily, what's going on?" Sirius demanded.

"Darcie's gone."

The words that pushed him over the edge.

He knew that it wasn't Lily's fault. Because it was obvious that it was an action done by Darcie completely on her own account. She had left her room by foot, unnoticed by any of the nurses and was now roaming the corridors of St. Mungo's. But he was at his last nerve, lack of food and sleep did that to a man.

As if things couldn't get any worse.

His feet had carried him through the whole fourth floor. His head was spinning with worst case scenarios. Unfortunately, his worst case scenario was his reality now. So in some ways, things could only get better. But Sirius honestly doubted that. His fiancée not knowing who he was hurt him more than anything in the world. And he had seen a lot of pain in his young years.

And that's when he found her. From a distance he could see her bent over form. The paleness of her skin again striking him a like a punch in the gut. She was crying, and muttering things about her head. And when she had passed out in his arms he just _knew_ that things could only get worse.

The guilt that washed over him was now getting stronger.

If only he had been there to protect her from that spell. If only he could _find _the person who did this to her. If only her injury wasn't as bad as it was. And if only he could turn back time and _fix_ what damage was made.

All of which, were wishful thinking.

Nurses were fluttering around her limp form as she remained motionless on the bed. They prodded and poked her with their wands. The healer standing too close to Darcie for Sirius' comfort, but he swallowed his protests and the only indication of his obvious displeasure was the grimace he wore as a permanent tattoo on his face. His arms were crossed in front of his chest tightly, his hand tucked beneath his armpits. He was purposely clenching his muscles, trying to feel anything without inflicting pain on someone else or himself for that matter.

But that on itself was a difficult task already.

Sirius's eyes found Darcie's closed ones again and he let out the a whoosh of breath. The sound almost relieving his ears of the businesslike atmosphere in the room. The nurses were now leaving the room, their wands had prodded Darcie enough, and he was sincerely glad that he was finally going to get some answers.

"You gonna tell me what just happened to her?" Sirius demanded. He knew he was sounding rude, but Merlin his head was spinning and he couldn't fucking care _enough_ about manners at this point.

"Sirius." Lily admonished from a distance. She was sitting in the empty chair as she held Darcie's hand in hers. He tried to ignore her.

Healer Thompson blushed slightly before shaking his head at Lily. His beady little eyes making his attraction to the redhead obvious. "It is quite alright Mrs. Potter." He assured her. "His concern is understandable." Sirius growled at this. "But I actually have some good news to share." He flicked his wand above Darcie's bed and a pale blue light emerged from above her head, the shape of her brain appearing.

"What's that?" Sirius asked, slightly puzzled. Thompson flicked his wand again and a bright red spot appeared on the seemingly normal shape of a brain.

"That, Mr Black-" Thompson began. "Is your fiancée's brain."

"But what is that red spot?" Lily asked, voicing Sirius's question before he had the ability to vocalise it.

Thompson gave Lily a small smile and Sirius's brow puckered, his fist clenching as he thought of the ways to keep the healer's hands off his best mate's wife. "That is the main area that was damaged because of the spell that hit Darcie. Unfortunately we've not been able to identify the nature of the spell, albeit it was a dark one. _But_ since we were able to stop further damage to Darcie's brain-" the cocky smile did not go by unnoticed and Lily gave Thompson a reproachful smile, gently giving him the hint to back off. "-I'd say she's not at risk anymore."

"But she has amnesia. How does _that_ not qualify as a risk?" Sirius barked. Thompson looked taken back by Sirius's tone and he straightened his back before flicking his wand again. The image zoomed in at the red area.

"Do you see that red area?" Thompson didn't want for an answer. "That is the cerebral cortex."

"And in plain English?" Sirius responded dryly. Thompson shifted on his feet as Lily threw him a glare. Sirius rolled his eyes and motioned Thompson to continue his story.

"It's part of the brain tissue." Thompson said evenly. "Thoughts, language, awareness, and memory are all established here." He pointed at the red blur again.

Who knew red could look this alarming.

"And that is exactly the part the spell has damaged the most, which is why Darcie has amnesia." Thompson concluded.

"I thought you said there was some _good_ news." Sirius retorted, he couldn't help the bitterness. Nor the sarcasm. It was an automatic response to anything negative nowadays.

"The good news is-" This time he brought his attention to Lily, as it seemed that she was the only one remotely positive in receiving his attention. "-that it's not permanent. I had my doubts, but I can confirm that Darcie will get her memories back."

Sirius's attention was immediately sparked again. A flare of hope ignited in his chest, blooming into this warm bubble that wanted to spread throughout his whole body, but his head kept back that brief moment of euphoria.

"That's great news, right Sirius?" Lily said happily. Sirius nodded and he ran his hand through his hair quickly, pushing back the short locks of hair.

"How long will it take?" Sirius asked. He was pushing back the bubble with brute force.

Thompson grimaced. "That's the part I cannot explain."

"Elaborate,_ please_." Sirius gritted out, his patience wearing stones. Thompson flicked his wand again and the image above Darcie's head disappeared.

He could see Thompson let out a sharp breath before turning his eyes to Sirius. "I do not know _when_ she's going to get her memory back, it could be days, weeks, perhaps even months. But there is also a possibility that she'll gain back her memory after years. The mind is a tricky thing indeed." He added the last bit to lift the tension, but it only did the exact opposite for Sirius.

Sirius turned his grey eyes to Lily, and their eyes met briefly.

"The headache however, is a good sign. The more she has them, the more her brain is healing." Sirius wasn't listening anymore. He had his eyes on Darcie and he wanted to reach out to her, hold her hand as easily as Lily did. But something held him back.

Perhaps it was his guilt. He didn't know. He just knew that she looked bloody fragile right now, and he was afraid one touch might break that delicate skin that held her together. He could feel the bubble of hope burst as its content was scattered all around. There was a part of him that was hoping that she'd be alright when she woke up. That he'd be able to slid that ring back on her finger. But as always, there was a setback. An obstacle that could not be overcome without aches and blood.

Sirius wondered how much blood this obstacle was after, perhaps he'd be able to forge some.

He dropped his eyes to the empty finger again.

Amnesia be damned. He loved this woman, she may not remember, but he did. And that should be enough for the two of them.

So amnesia be damned.

"When can I take her home?" Sirius asked sharply, effectively stopping the flow of words that came out of Thompson's mouth.

_**xxxxxx**_

Darcie kept her eyes fixed shut. Tried to keep her breathings as evenly as possible. Her movements as still. But who knew feigning sleep could be this hard. She had been listening to Thompson's words for the past few minutes now, his words reaching her ears, but not registering properly, at least, not the way they should be. Darcie was more focused on the presence of one person, one man to specify. And she wanted to know desperately whether he was here or not, cause she knew that the person holding her hand was not him. His touch was firm and his hands almost warm to touch. This hand was cold, and offered barely any support, unlike Sirius.

"When can I take her home?" Her eyes snapped open and her eyes immediately focused on the dark-haired man that almost stood on the other side of the room, the farthest away from her it seemed.

"Darcie?" Lily exclaimed surprised and suddenly Thompson, who stood at the foot of her bed, moved to her left and gave her a polite smile. She barely looked at him though. She wanted to know more about _him_.

Sirius's eyes were focused on her, and he too, seemed surprised by the sudden turn of things. He also knew, that she must've heard what he had said and he dropped his eyes to the floor, breaking their connection.

"How are you feeling?" Thompson asked and Darcie blinked a few times before turning her head.

"F-fine." She breathed out.

"Any headaches?" He continued and she shook her head.

Truth be told, Darcie hadn't felt anything wrong with her head. Perhaps a slight throbbing but she had gotten used to the feeling that it didn't hurt her anymore. She sighed as he nodded again.

"Can I have a word with Sirius, please?" Darcie suddenly said. She looked at Sirius and tried not to interpret the shocked expression on his face. "Alone?" She emphasised and both Lily and Thompson backed up.

"Certainly." Thompson muttered and he walked out of the room as Lily followed him, although her eyes were set on Darcie. She dropped her eyes to the floor.

Silence engulfed them and Darcie put her hands in her lap. For some reason she wasn't quite sure what to say. How to react on the thing she had overheard Sirius saying. She sighed and put her hand on her forehead briefly, before raising her knee beneath the blanket and resting her elbow against it as she pushed the palm of her hand against the bridge of her nose. She felt exhausted, and she didn't know why. Her eyes were shut and she opened them to see Sirius look at her with a wary look.

Darcie sighed. "You're going to be fine." Sirius suddenly said and he crossed the room to her side, putting his hands on the edge of her bed. Still maintaining a distance. Darcie blinked at him.

"Oh." The only adequate answer.

Sirius sighed and he ran his hand through his hair. Darcie noticed that he seemed frazzled. She also wondered why he was still here. She hadn't expected him to stick around after what the verdict was. She had lost her memory. _Their_ memories to be exact and she was certain that it must hurt him. She wanted to know if she was worth waiting for.

"Are you alright?" Darcie suddenly asked. She was surprised at the worry that bubbled in her chest. Sirius frowned and for some reason surprise didn't look that good on him. "You look tired." She remarked and he slowly pushed himself off the bed. She tentatively watched him from the bed as he paced the room.

"I want you to come home with me." He announced. Darcie chose not to react, seeing he wasn't done yet. "It'll help getting your memories back. Being somewhere familiar."

Darcie felt the back of her eyes sting with unshed tears. Those words made her uncomfortable. It was worse enough she had no idea how to carry herself, didn't know whether her thoughts were hers. It was bad enough that she couldn't even remember her last name, let alone the names of her parents. She dropped her hands back on the blanket. Her pale skin contrasting the dark blue blanket. She raised her head again and saw that Sirius had his eyes set on her.

"W-what are the names of my parents?" Darcie asked.

"Darcie-" Sirius tried to interrupt, slightly taken back by the change of subject.

"Just...just tell me." Darcie insisted and Sirius sighed before moving towards her bed again and sat down on the edge.

"Amy and Harrison Lyndon." Sirius said slowly. Darcie nodded slowly, hoping those names would spark anything. But her nerves and thoughts remained empty besides the already prominent ache she felt, the one that constantly attacked her heart.

"Why aren't they here?" She continued. "Haven't you told them?"

Sirius slowly shook his head, his grey eyes looking fathomless as he looked at Darcie. "You haven't seen them in the past two years." She frowned.

"I see." The tears were now falling freely, staining her pale cheeks as the dampness clung to her skin. She raised her hands and tried to wipe away the stains, but it didn't matter. She couldn't keep the tears from stopping.

"Darcie." Sirius's voice was pained and he reached out to her.

_**xxxxxx**_

He couldn't watch it and not do anything. He wasn't built that way. When a woman sheds tears he had to reach out and try to stop that flow of water. But he was too scared of scaring her that he held back at the last moment. His hands dropping on the blanket. "I'm sorry, love." He apologised and he tried to quench the horrible feeling in his stomach.

Suddenly he felt a hand grab hold of his and he looked down. Seeing Darcie's slender fingers grab hold of his hand. In some ways he was satisfied she initiated physical contact and he progressed the hold by moving closer to her. It's like they say. Give a hand, take an arm.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head. She was letting go completely now. He was wondering how long it would take her, and in some ways she had given in sooner than he had expected. Then again, he wasn't quite sure what to expect in such a situation. He murmured soothing words against her hair and tried to take in the gentle curves of her body, crushed against his chest. Her soft scent invaded his nostrils and for some reason he felt incredibly nostalgic.

Slowly Darcie pulled away. Sirius still had some trouble believing that she had allowed him to comfort her. Then again, perhaps that was what she needed. She couldn't get back her memory without some triggers. And who would be the biggest trigger but him? And even though he knew it was important he couldn't help but resist the temptation even more. He had to feel her again, touch her skin. He couldn't bear to let her go fully.

Sirius still kept his arm around her waist, he couldn't let go of her just yet. And she wasn't protesting. "You don't have to come home with me." Sirius said. "If you want to we can arrange something else."

"No, no!" Darcie protested. It eased the knot in Sirius's stomach. "If I want to get my memory back then I think it's the best thing to do." Sirius observed her motions. "It just took me off guard." She confessed and he nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry." He apologised again and Darcie let out a small sound.

"Stop apologising. It's not your fault." She told him. "Or at least, I hope it's not your fault."

"I would never hurt you." Sirius said slowly looking at her pointedly, even though there was a tinge of pain lingering in those eyes. And he knew that he was being too forward about it. He had to stop wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Darcie blinked a few times. Sirius let out a sigh and slowly moved away from her. He could feel his body protest against the distance but he had to take things slow. This wasn't his Darcie anymore. Just a shell of something that used to be, and he wasn't sure what hurt him more. The fact she was so near and resembled his love, or the fact that she wouldn't be able to fall back in that role anymore. He ran his hand through his long hair and stood up.

Darcie eyed him cautiously. "Where are you going?" She asked nervously. "Aren't you going to take me home?" He tried to ignore the faint throbbing near his chest when he heard her say home.

"I'll be right back, love." He soothed. "Just need to arrange a few things." Darcie frowned but nodded anyways.

"Alright."

"Do you want Lily to stay with you?" She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine."

"Well I'd prefer it if she stayed with you anyways." Sirius interjected. Scenes of her wandering off again filling up his mind. Though he was surprised with her angry tone towards him as she retaliated.

"I said that I'm fine!" She gritted out. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and Sirius felt a flash of familiarity, it stung him yet he couldn't help but grasp onto that feeling with a more desperate cling. Perhaps there was more of Darcie here, than they initially thought.

"Right." He brought out difficulty. "I'll leave you to it then." And he walked out of the door quickly, not bothering to close the door behind him.

Despite the fact that Darcie had agreed to staying with him he knew that it was going to put his patience to the test. And he always was more of a doer than a thinker. He knew that if he pushed his luck with Darcie he was going to pay the price and it was not going to be pretty at all. He had to keep it together, this wasn't about him. This was about her. Having a mental breakdown wasn't going to fix things, nor was it going to fix _her_. He had to patient.

His feet lead him through the corridor, his mind still trying to wrap itself around the plans. Darcie would be home again, with him.

Alone.

_A/N: Your thoughts are thoroughly appreciated ;] And very much wanted :D_


End file.
